george bonnema
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 27, 2016I have many clumps of daffodils that have been growing for several years, and I noticed this spring that it is time to lift those bulbs and thin them. Any type of spring-flowering bulb reproduces by dividing, and eventually those clumps become too dense. Consequently the flower production is limited because of the competition. Moving or lifting the bulbs can only be done after the foliage begins…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 20, 2016The weather forecast for this summer was hot and dry. We have already had the hot, but I’m appreciating the frequent rain that has prevented the dry. Weather isn’t something we can control, but we can work with it to make the most of our summer garden experience. The wind we had on Friday evening totally wrecked my beautiful tall blue delphiniums, so now I’m cutting them back to 4 inches to…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 14, 2016It is Monday … again. I’m amazed at how fast these summer days disappear! I always seem to have three more things to do than I can possibly accomplish in a day, but I give it my best shot. So I understand your dilemma about finding time to keep up with all the gardening tasks required to keep the garden looking great and the produce harvested and utilized. Hot and dry weather this week caught…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJune 07, 2016We have had wonderful moisture for our flower and vegetable gardens and our season is about two weeks early. If you have hostas, I’m suggesting that you be on the lookout for slugs. These slimy critters eat irregular-shaped holes in the leaves, and if you don’t attack them early on, you will have those “holy” leaves to look at for the rest of the season. Slug baits are very effective as a…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 31, 2016On April 18 I mentioned applying systemic rose care granules to my shrub roses to both feed them and protect them from sucking and chewing insects. That application is repeated at six-week intervals, so it is time to give them another shot of energy. The difference this product makes in the amount of fresh new growth the plant produces is phenomenal. I’ll be its biggest advocate because I have a…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 23, 2016For those people who love mowing their lawn, this has been a great spring. For those people who hate mowing the lawn … well, the rest of us can tell. Proper mowing is one of the keys to a healthy lawn. Set your mowing height at 3 or 3 1/2 inches tall. Taller grass forms a deeper root system. The stronger plants are better able to fight off insects, disease, and weeds. Mow often enough so that…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 16, 2016Spring is always a time of transitioning from winter to summer and this year has been no different. The weeks of warm weather have teased us into thinking we were pretty much past the last frost, but then reality scared us … maybe me especially … my casualties were limited, but there were some where the wind removed the protection. And so we go on. The new growth called candles have fully…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMay 09, 2016Mother’s Day last weekend probably gifted many of you with outdoor hanging baskets or planters, and I want to stress the word “outdoor.” These annual plants require a lot of sunlight to produce the energy they need to keep the flower buds developing. Keeping them indoors to “protect” them is not a good plan. If the temperature is expected to drop to freezing, setting them in overnight is OK, but…
May 02, 2016I got to make my annual spring run to a few of Detroit’s largest garden centers this past weekend. It has been a cool spring there as well as for us, so they were not fully stocked if the plants were not grown on site. I still managed to find a few plants that wowed me that I haven’t been able to get locally. So I considered the trip a success. A new wonderful annual that was introduced two…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 25, 2016Driving through town yesterday, I commented that our spring season is a full two weeks ahead of average. The flowering crab blossoms are opening and the color of tulips and Virginia bluebells is what I hope to see the week of Mother’s Day. Two weeks less of winter is fine in my book and I am appreciating every day of it! If you have weeds and creeping Charlie showing up in your lawn, this is the…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 19, 2016Thank you to all the good people who attended my Courageous Pruning Seminar on Saturday. I enjoyed out time together and I hope you found the information encouraging and empowering. I’m going out this morning (Monday) to apply the first round of Systemic Rose Care granules to my shrub roses. This is a great product that not only feeds the roses, but also protects them from sucking and chewing…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 11, 2016Today I want to introduce you to a couple of relatively new plants for hanging baskets. The first is begonia bolivensis. There are several named varieties of this begonia: Santa Cruz Sunset and Crackling Fire are a couple of common cultivars. The name to watch for is bolivensis. This begonia does great in full sun or part shade and the color show is nonstop and fabulous! The plants do not vine…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistApril 04, 2016A relatively new annual flowering plant I’d like to feature today is the SunPatiens. Impatiens have been the flowering annual of choice for shade areas, but the old varieties were not happy growing in bright sun. This ”new and improved” class is happy, in fact, prefers bright sun. There are three classifications: spreading, compact, and vigorous. Compact varieties will grow 12 to 14 inches tall…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMarch 28, 2016Here is another of my favorite annual flowers for great all-summer color. Gerbera daisies are a very easy plant to grow. I enjoy the “happy” look of their flowers which just keep coming all summer. The color range covers everything but blue. In previous seasons the only plants available for bedding plant growers were the dwarf or compact varieties. The beautiful long-stemmed varieties were…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistMarch 14, 2016As we transition from winter to spring, we have to anticipate some variability in our weather and temperatures. A couple of really warm days and some folks are ready to plant potatoes. But the calendar is a better indicator than our emotions. None of us has the crystal ball, but the law of averages is what it is, so be reasonable about your expectations. I talked last week about getting our…
By George BonnemaMarch 07, 2016I have finished my hibernation! It amazes me that when we finally get to see the sun in the morning after weeks of cloudy weather, we realize that our daylight hours have increased dramatically. That mean it’s time for gardeners to get to work ... that means me, and I’m loving it! If you have houseplants that need repotting, the next 8 weeks is the best time to get that accomplished. I know that…
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